MCALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — An Alamo man avoided the death penalty by pleading guilty to fatally stabbing two people at a Motel 6 in 2023. Now he will face the rest of his life behind bars.
Records indicate that Carlos Antonio Cardenas Jr. was sentenced to life in prison without parole after pleading guilty to one count of capital murder of multiple persons and criminal attempted murder.
The murders took place on March 18, 2023, when local law enforcement was met at the scene by two bodies and Cardenas covered from head to toe in their blood. On the morning of March 18, officers responded to the Motel 6 at 700 W. Expressway 83 in McAllen. They were responding to a call about a man who was profusely bleeding.
Responding officers found 45-year-old Keith Henry Cole of Virginia, lying face down in the hallway, a probable cause affidavit stated. Moments later, they discovered 42-year-old Luis Eduardo Garza of San Juan lying face down in the parking lot.
Cardenas was poking the Motel 6 front office window with knife when police found him. He was covered in blood "from his face to his shoes."
As previously reported by ValleyCentral, the document stated surveillance footage showed Cardenas stab Cole in the hallway. After Cole fell to the ground, Cardenas left for a few seconds, then returned and stabbed him several more times. His second victim, Garza, tried to flee from Cardenas in the parking lot, but slipped. This is when Cardenas began to stab Garza several times, before grabbing a bag and handing it to the driver of a black vehicle.
During the arrest, the officer pointed his weapon at Cardenas and ordered him to drop the knife, which he did. He was then placed in handcuffs and began giving “incoherent statements.”
Documents state that Cardenas was accusing the motel clerk of being a witch.
In March of 2024, the state announced it would be seeking the death penalty in the gruesome case. Cardenas' guilty plea on Wednesday made him eligible for life in prison.